Dandong, China -- On the 3rd, the Daily NK published a signed letter written by a North Korean citizen writing under the pseudonym An Chul Jin which related to the candlelight protests that have been taking place in South Korea regarding U.S. beef imports. The letter indicated that the candlelight protests, which have been going on for two months, caused deep concern not only for South Korean citizens, but for North Korean citizens as well.

Accordingly, Daily NK, believing that there is an interest in the views of North Korean citizens regarding the nationwide confusion caused by the candlelight protests, requested to conduct a further interview with the writer of the letter. The interview took place in Dandong, China, just across the border with Shinuiju, North Korea, on the afternoon of the 6th.

[The following is the interview with An Chul Jin, who belongs to the North Korean elite-class.]

- We know that the food crisis is severe in North Korea. What is your reason for taking an interest in South Korea’s “beef issue?”

“Since coming here to China, I have seen the candlelight protests on an almost daily basis through South Korean TV. It is hard to say that I speak on behalf of all North Korean citizens, but when watching the candlelight protest campaign, my thoughts were that South Korea is not a completely realized democratic society, but is a country which is in a transitional stage of development.”

- Why are you concerned about South Korean society and why do you have such a concerned interest in its progress?

“In North Korea, a majority fall into the poverty-level class. All products used by ordinary citizens are made in China. Accordingly, the sense of expectation for China is high. We also have a high sense of expectation for South Korea. On the economic or ethical front, however, we think that South Korea surpasses China.”

“A North Korean person can get by an entire year on a single month’s salary for a South Korean worker. However, when I see the image of people fighting every day, it seems almost as if the South Korean people do not want such an abundant society.”

- Do you approve of importing U.S. beef to North Korea?

“Of course, I agree. Not only myself, but no North Korean citizens, apart from on holidays, can eat meat. When I see protests against the import of U.S. beef, I think that it should be sent to the North instead. On one side, people can taste beef only a few times a year, but on the other side, their protests against beef imports, at an inexpensive price at that, are frustrating.”

- Even now, many citizens of South Korea do not trust the government and are calling for the resignation of the President. What have you felt regarding the level of South Korean democracy from the recent incidents?

“In North Korea, due to the restricted lives that people lead, there is no sense of freedom. When North Korean people watch the candlelight protests, they probably think: why are they holding such protests when their standard of living is so high? The South Korean standard of living is unfathomable for North Korean citizens, so we wonder why they are fighting like that.”

- You have probably seen the candlelight protesters acting violently towards the police. In North Korea, we have heard that struggles between citizens and the police do not frequently occur; what kind of a punishment do the North Korean citizens receive if they attack a police officer?

“I cannot even imagine a citizen beating an agent of the People’s Safety Agency (police officer). Even if a person does not beat the agent, but attacks him verbally, s/he will automatically be taken to a Labor Training Corps. As a consequence the citizens cannot speak out against them, even if the agent is at fault. If they beat an agent, they are taken to a reeducation camp (prison). They are the ones with power, so the citizens are automatically captured, sometimes as vengeful acts."

- What kind of a response would North Korean citizens most likely give if they heard via broadcasts, etc. that the protests have been continuing over the U.S. beef issue?

“As a whole, they would think: why are South Koreans fighting like that? Why don’t they just import and eat the beef? They may even think that South Koreans are overly concerned about health. I wish that South Koreans would also think about national health. The country has to be healthy in order to exercise influence and have prestige."

"I can understand if several tens or hundreds of people become ill from U.S. beef. But American and South Korean people are eating it now, so what is the problem? I do not understand having protests on the basis of the hypothetical risk alone.”

- What kind of an interest do North Korea people have in their health?

“North Korean people used to take a lot of interest in their health, but nowadays, the situation is not the same. If North Korean people were to see what South Koreans eat, they would be absolutely shocked. When I watch TV, a variety of health-promoting fruit juices or nutritious foods are made and consumed, but we cannot even dream of such things. In South Korea, there are expiration dates for food, but North Korean people will even eat food of bad quality. North Korean people often think that they would have no regret about dying while they are eating. Nowadays, people cannot eat because there is a shortage of food…”

- Have you ever eaten beef in North Korea?

“I had never eaten beef in my life, but recently, I had it several times in China. In North Korea, I only ate chicken, duck, pork, and dog meat. In North Korea, cows are treated the same as humans, so if someone kills a cow, s/he is taken to a reeducation camp.”

"People do not catch cows for food. Cows that die from old age are taken by car somewhere. Individuals are not allowed to raise cows; when a calf is born, it is registered as national property. There is never an instance of raising it when I want to raise it and eating it when I want to eat it. How can we eat a national means of survival?”

- Do you have any lasting words for the protesting South Korean citizens?

“I think that the protesters are a minority and not representative of the entire South Korean population. I urge them to stop. If a person feels a sense of threat, they do not have to buy and eat the meat. They should think of the nation rather than themselves and think of their neighbor, North Korea. For the people in North Korean who only eat meat a couple of times a year, this is a sad issue.”